Entertainment Gifts

15 Gifts That Will Keep Anyone Entertained Throughout 2016

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How do you entertain yourself? OK, let’s clarify that. Book? Video game? Movie? There were so many releases in 2015 that it’s hard to distill them down to a top-anything list. But we’ve done our best.

2015 films were, by and large, a standard affair. Many were strong on the soundtrack side. We also saw some redemptive moments in the action arena (I’m singling you out, Tom Cruise).

Gaming brought the upgraded standards we expect, along with some new things to contend with. Once again, Call of Duty exceeded expectations, as did Halo.

So here are our suggestions for holiday gifting. It’s about that time of year when you may as well hunker down and commit to indoor activities. If you’re not going to retrofit or reorganize (that’s more of spring endeavor, anyway), you and your giftees may as well hibernate with some good entertainment.

Halo 5: Guardians

The latest title in the Halo franchise was designed to fully utilize the capabilities of the Xbox One system. Players will enjoy traversing three expansive worlds as Master Chief/Blue Team and Spartan Locke/Fireteam Osiris — in a four player cooperative epic. $59.99 at Amazon.com

Symphony 1 Headphones by Definitive Technology

The Symphony 1 Executive wireless headphones were not crafted for the guy who wears headphones as an accessory. They are strictly for those that are obsessed with premier sound. This quality pair is light and powerful, combining active noise cancellation and wireless technology.$399.00 at Amazon.com

Captain America: The Winter Solider

Captain America: The Winter Solider is quite possibly the best stand-alone Avengers movie after Iron Man. Chris Evans gives Steve Rogers an approachable believability while still making Captain America, well, infallible. His grace and reserve serve him almost as well as his physical prowess. Scarlett Johansson adds some eye candy and helps carry the storyline through to the sequel. Nick Fury is, well, Nick Fury — required.$19.99 at Amazon.com

'Elon Musk' by Ashlee Vance

Veteran business columnist Ashlee Vance was granted access to entrepreneur of the moment Elon Musk and the result is a book that chronicles the Tesla head’s journey from South Africa to darling of Silicon Valley. Vance spent 30 hours with Musk and interviewed over 300 people to compile the most complete piece that’s been done on the SpaceX founder.$28.00 at Amazon.com

The Children Act

From Ian McEwan comes The Children Act, his latest realist novel. Clearly fascinated with the responsibilities and intricacies of his protagonist’s judgeship, McEwan digs into the details of her difficult choices in balancing justice. Then, of course, he throws in wrenching drama that even further impact her ability to deal out the consequences and live with them at the same time.$8.42 at Amazon.com

Sol Invictus By Faith No More

Faith No More released their first album in nearly 20 years in 2015 and though Sol Invictus does not have an “Epic”-level hit on the album, it is good enough to make fans reminisce on the band’s heyday. It is as good of a comeback record as one could expect after a lengthy sabbatical. $10.49 at Amazon.com

Dope

Dope is one of the best films of 2015 that he probably didn’t see. Directed by Inglewood, CA native Rick Famuyiwa and produced by Pharrell Williams, this coming-of-age piece is charming and entertaining. The main character and his buddies are all addicted to 1990’s hip-hop culture, so their clothes and the music they listen to provide a killer B-story.$21.06 at Amazon.com

Sonos Play:5

Good sound can come from small devices. The latest Sonos speaker won’t take up a bunch of space in the living room but it will fill any room with sound. Six digital amps, three tweeters and three mid-woofers power Play:5. If one isn’t enough, the Play:5 can be paired with a twin to create bigger sound through right and left channel speakers. $499.00 at Sonos.com

Fallout 4

Fallout 3 was revolutionary when it was released in 2008; gamers had never seen anything like it. Technology has grown exponentially since then and fans are wondering if Bethesda will keep up with the fourth installment of the popular Fallout franchise. We will all find out when the title is released for PC, Xbox One and PS4 on November 10. $59.88 at Amazon.com

The Rap Yearbook

Author Shea Serrano (who also co-authored a cool coloring book with hip-hop legend Bun-B) has a knack for producing rap-related literary content. His latest, The Rap Yearbook, features Serrano and several journalists discussing, debating and deconstructing the single most important hip-hop song annually from 1979 to now.$9.99 at Amazon.com

Xbox One Elite

If he hasn’t purchased a current generation system yet or his Xbox One’s storage is full, the Xbox One Elite is a gift you should consider. The Elite system boasts 1tb of storage, a fully customizable wireless controller, 20% faster loading times and backwards compatibility to Xbox 360 games. $399.99 at Amazon.com

ESPN 30 for 30 Vol. 2

The second volume of ESPN’s award winning 30 for 30 documentary series includes some of the best sports docs in recent memory, including The U Part 2, Bad Boys and Broke. The 12-disc DVD set includes all 30 films from the series.$49.99 at Amazon.com

Stereo Hybrid Tube Amp with Bluetooth

There are a plethora of wireless speaker options available for music lovers. While the prices and variety are great, very few offer warm sound. This vintage 25-watt system works via Bluetooth or auxiliary cable and is designed to give audiophiles rich and warm sound through a digital medium.$199.99 at MonoPrice.com

How to Speak Money: What the Money People Say -- And What it Really Means

How to Speak Money: What the Money People Say — And What it Really Means is your quintessential primer on finance jargon. The premise is that everyone can understand — and benefit from — the economy if they only know the language. It’s a guide that should be in everyone’s collection. Accessible, culturally relevant and a smooth read, this book will help everyone understand the financial landscape and give them the opportunity to participate in it.$13.56 at Amazon.com

Xbox One Limited Edition Halo 5: Guardians Wireless Controller

It won’t make the user any better at Halo 5, but playing the sci-fi game with the official Halo 5 controller just makes the experience that much better. The limited edition controller showcases metallic blue accents and Halo military insignias. $69.99 at Amazon.com

Thug Kitchen: The Official Cookbook: Eat Like You Give a F*ck

Can we ignore that this might be Gwyneth Paltrow’s favorite thing ever? This book wants us to eat well and doesn’t have a pretentious diatribe on the way we are already eating. Thug Kitchen: The Official Cookbook: Eat Like You Give a F*ck gives solid options that everyone can actually achieve. Simply go to the grocery store and follow directions.$14.99 at Amazon.com

PlayStation 4 500gb Limited Edition Star Wars Battlefront Console

Holiday season is synonymous with gaming bundles and this Star Wars Battlefront PS4 combo is one of the most anticipated of the year. The bundle includes the top-rated title as well as a customized 500gb Darth Vader PlayStation 4 and 1 customized DualShock 4 Wireless Controller. $399.00 at Amazon.com

HBO Now

As more and more people are cutting the cable/satellite cord, companies are making their programming available in non-traditional ways. HBO did so, years ago with HBO Go and now they have broadened their virtual net with HBO Now. HBO Now grants subscribers’ access to all HBO programming past and present via Android, Apple, Amazon Fire and Roku devices.$14.99/month at Amazon.com

Marvel's Avengers: Age of Ultron

There is no debating that the most recent Avengers flick is kick-ass. The home release is pretty good as well. There aren’t tons of deleted scenes or extras, but the ones that are included are golden. Director Joss Weldon’s humorous commentary alone is worth the purchase.$21.06 at Amazon.com